


if he wants a fight well now he's got one (and he ain't seen me crazy yet)

by ShanleenKinnJaskey



Series: Coming Back As We Are [12]
Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Blaine, Blangst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Epsiode s4e07: Dynamic Duets, Klaine, LARPing, M/M, Rants, Reference to past violence, Sebastian gets what's coming to him, Some angst, nightbird - Freeform, of course, recovery process
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-16 14:20:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4628481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShanleenKinnJaskey/pseuds/ShanleenKinnJaskey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Warblers steal the trophy, Blaine heads to Dalton. When he finds out why they took the trophy, he has a far different reaction.</p><p>Set in Coming Back As We Are 'verse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	if he wants a fight well now he's got one (and he ain't seen me crazy yet)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [skivvysupreme](https://archiveofourown.org/users/skivvysupreme/gifts), [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> Title is from "Gunpowder and Lead" by Miranda Lambert.  
> Found this interesting bit of info about the five stages of grief when surfing the Web (psychology's a hobby of mine): "The five stages, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with what we lost."
> 
> And I realized that Blaine had already gone through stage one, which prompted the second half of this fic and another step in the recovery process for Blaine.
> 
> The first scene is mostly from the episode, and the rest diverges.

_"Sometimes it's raisin' your voice_

_Sometimes it's makin' some noise_

_Sometimes it's provin’ to the world it was wrong_

_Whenever you can't see the light_

_Whenever there's no end in sight_

_Keep on, keep on movin' on_

_Keep on movin' on..."_

_-Lemonade Mouth_ , Breakthrough

 

" _Never saw it coming, all of your backstabbing_

_Just so you could cash in on a good thing before I'd realize your game_

_I heard you're going round playing the victim now_

_But don't even begin feeling I'm the one to blame_

_'Cause you dug your own grave..."_

_-Christina Aguilera,_ Fighter

 

"The Secret Society of Superheroes Club is now in session," Blaine announces, a serious expression on his face even though inside he's bursting with excitement. "It is the purpose of this club to fight injustice, to right all that which is wrong, and to preserve truth, justice and peace in the halls of McKinley High. First order of business: roll call." He turns to Tina. "Go."

"Asian Persuasion here," Tina declares with a smirk, "My superpower is being the mistress of manipulation."

Sam says, in a George W. Bush voice, "Blond Chameleon here. My superpower is I can impersonate anybody. George W. Bush, heh."

"Tarantula Head here," Joe announces, "My superpower is lashing you with my dreads." He whipped them around in demonstration.

"Sweet 'n' Spicy, here. My superpower is money," Sugar giggles.

"Second order of business: inducting new members into our ever-swelling ranks. Candidates, come forth."

"Excited to be here, Blaine," Artie says, wheeling in in front of Becky and Brittany.

"First of all, there are no civilian identities in here, okay? I am Nightbird, the Nocturnal Avenger." He pauses awkwardly to let that sink in. "And second of all, I really hope you're not trying to pass yourself off as a certain telepathic leader of a certain group of superhuman mutants because that would be a copyright violation."

"Uh, I'm Dr. Y and my superpower is...wheelies?"

"Welcome, Dr. Y," Blaine smiles, "Next."

"I'm Queen Bee and I can sting like a bitch," Becky says, and buzzes.

"Welcome, Queen Bee. Next."

"I'm the Human Brain," Brittany says, completely serious.

Blaine raises an eyebrow but nods, used to Brittany's strange antics. "Welcome, Human Brain."

His phone chimes. "What's this?" He declares, playing up the dramatics. "A text just came through on my NightPhone!"

"'Have you talked to Kurt?'" Blaine reads off, then rolls his eyes before turning to Tina, who gives him an faux-innocent grin even while typing away on her phone. "I already told you, Asian Persuasion, this account is only supposed to be for emergencies, and you cannot use your powers of manipulation to coax me into calling my boyfriend while he's working, so stop trying."

Suddenly Dotty bursts in. Everyone shoots out of their chairs to face the newcomer.

"What is it, Chai Tea?" Blaine asks.

"Emergency in the choir room."

"To the choir room!" Blaine directs the crowd of superheroes. 

And then, in a spectacular display of geekiness and bravery, the Secret Society of Superheroes Club runs down the hall (in full costume) down to the choir room, following "Chai Tea" and totally disregarding the danger of possible slushies.

Dotty points at the trophy case as soon as everyone has gotten in the room. "Someone took your Nationals trophy and left that laptop in its place."

Artie raises an eyebrow. "Who leaves a laptop? Someone rich, someone who wanted to send us a message."

"I got this," Blaine says, assuming the role of leader again as he leans forward and clicks the laptop on.

The distorted image of someone in a familiar looking blazer and holding the Nationals trophy appears on screen. "Greetings, New Directions!" They say in a distorted, robotic voice, "You have been living as national champions on borrowed time, and that ends now. We have your trophy. Soon we'll have your title as well. The great reckoning is at hand: Sectionals.

Your move."

* * *

* * *

"Allow me to answer the obvious questions," the chair spins around to reveal a boy petting a cat. Blaine has to resist the urge to roll his eyes at the blatant display of riches and power. "I'm Hunter Clarington, I am the new captain of the Warblers, and I'm not even _remotely_ bi-curious."

Blaine frowns, perplexed. "How are you captain of the Warblers when-?"

"When you've never seen me before?" Hunter cut him off, "Simple. Dalton just gave me a full scholarship to move here from Colorado Springs, where I led my military academy choir to a Regionals victory with presidential honors. Now I'm here to kick it up a notch, and that starts with you."

"That's very intimidating," Blaine says, rolling his eyes, "Where's the trophy at?"

Hunter chuckles. "Don't worry, it's safe. It was just bait, after all. See, you're kind of a legend here. I like that. So here's my offer: Your little diversity club can have its Nationals trophy back when you rejoin the Warblers."

"And why would I ever leave McKinley?" Blaine asks incredulously, curious to hear what Hunter thinks could possibly convince him to leave McKinley when he's _finally_  found a place where he no longer needs to pretend. Anger bubbles inside of him at the Warblers even as he waits for Hunter's response- _this_  is why the Warblers stole the New Directions' trophy?

"Why would you stay? I heard you only went there to be with Kurt, right? In fact, I hear they even call you Blaine Warbler. They know you don't belong there."

" _Excuse me_ , Hunter?" Blaine stops Hunter, seething, "Let me stop you right now. I _do_  belong there. I _used_  to belong here, when the Warblers were honorable and when the Council decided numbers based on not only if they would win but if they fit the Warblers' honor code, not based on personal agendas. We didn't chase other people's boyfriends and blackmail the competition and steal the opposition's property and **assault**  people. The Warblers used to be my home. They saved me when I was in a dark place, and I admired so many of them. Sebastian, I'm glad you've reformed yourself, but it still doesn't change the fact that you nearly _blinded_  me in an attempt to sabotage my new Glee Club and assault my boyfriend as well as attempted to blackmail one of my friends with a truthfully horribly photoshopped photo. I don't know what you've done to most of the Warblers, but only Nick, Jeff, and Trent visited me in the hospital after the slushie, apologizing to both Kurt and I as they had no idea what you had been planning, while the rest of you slunk off back to Dalton. Wes and David called me to make sure I was okay. **_All_**  of the New Directions visited, Kurt more than anyone else. Don't you _dare_  pretend that you actually care about me, about where I _belong_ , when none of you cared last year after you fucking  _assaulted_  and _blinded_  me. Just like I told you last year, Sebastian, McKinley is where my heart is and it's where I plan to stay. So, if you don't mind, Hunter, I'd like our trophy back before I call the police and actually get you arrested this year as there is _definite_  proof of guilt." Blaine finally stops his rant, breathing slightly elevated. He stares down Sebastian and Hunter, who are both staring at him, frozen in shock.

"But..." Hunter sputters, regaining speech first, "I was told that you and Kurt had broken up and that without him you'd have no reason to stay with the New Directions."

Blaine smirks, an unfamiliar expression on his face but one he has got to admit feels good. No wonder Kurt always does it. "Even if Kurt and I were broken up I would still stay with the New Directions. Ever since I returned from...an extended leave, shall we say?...most of them have been nothing but supportive and apologetic about how they may have treated me. Sam, my best friend, was there everyday while I was recovering and the Hummel-Hudsons, Kurt's family, saved me from _dying_."

One could accuse Blaine of taking a little too much vicious pleasure in reaming into Sebastian and Hunter, and they'd be right. A vast store of uncharacteristic anger towards everything wrong in his life has built up inside of Blaine, and this is his outlet. "And Kurt? We're better than ever. My  _b_ _oyfriend_  saved my life about a month ago, and we are back together. So you can take your offer, Hunter, and you can stuff it where the sun doesn't shine, because I'll be _d_ _amned_  if I return to you and the mess you've made of my beloved school. So give me the trophy now, or I'll go to the police and report you for theft." He smiles with mock sweetness. "After all, you did provide all the evidence we need yourself when you left the laptop where the blazer is clearly recognizable in the video."

The boys gape at him, and he feels the somewhat sour taste of victory.

* * *

That night, after he returns the trophy to the New Directions, he sits on the edge of Kurt's bed with his head in his hands while Kurt uses the restroom. The anger that coursed through him while at Dalton is long gone, leaving him empty and exhausted. It had felt nice to feel successful for once instead of useless, and his rant had let out a storm of thought that he hadn't realized was building up inside him, but now he just feels a bit nauseous when he thinks about the pleasure he had taken in tearing down Hunter and Sebastian. He's seen Kurt stand up to bullies at McKinley many times, and he admires him for it, but for some reason his rant earlier today makes him feel more like a Santana than a Kurt.

He feels the bed sink as someone sits down next to him and soon enough a hand is on his back, rubbing away the tension in his muscles. He slowly relaxes, his shoulders drooping, and he draws his hands away from his face. "I'm just so exhausted," he says, "It felt good to stand up to them, to call them out and make them feel guilty, but now I just feel empty. I'm not one for confrontations, as you know well, and fighting just makes me feel tired. I was just so _a_ _ngry_ , you know? I've been through such shit lately and I just wanted someone else to feel bad. I'm not proud of it, not at all, but at the time it made me feel better. Does that make me a bad person?"

Kurt (because _of course_  the person rubbing his back, lending him comfort is Kurt)'s hand on Blaine's back stops moving, and just presses lightly at the small of his back in a gesture of comfort. He turns towards Blaine and takes one of Blaine's hands in his free one, lacing their fingers together. "I spent my all my high school years lashing out like that, and except for the times I accidentally lashed out at friends and hurt them I'm not ashamed, but not everyone is like that. _You're_  not like that- you're a gentleman, and you try your hardest to give everyone a second chance to redeem themselves, even if they don't deserve it." He gives a small self-deprecating chuckle. "You did it with me, after all," he comments before continuing, "Your first instinct isn't to fight, or to hurt others when they hurt you, and I think that's one of the reasons I love you. You're kinder than me, more selfless. You never think about yourself, and I think that rather than being ashamed you should feel...well, not necessarily proud, but...actually, yes.  _Proud_ is exactly the word I would use. You finally stood up for yourself today, and I'm  _proud_ of you for it."

By this point tears are silently slipping down Blaine's cheeks, so Kurt stops talking, leans forward, and wraps Blaine in his arms. Blaine's head slumps onto his shoulder, and he sobs. "When am I going to stop feeling like I have no control over my life? I thought I was getting better earlier today, with the LARPing and all, but then I just lost all control with Sebastian and Hunter." His tone turned from depressed to frustrated, almost angry. "I just want to feel better, Kurt! I want to stop hearing my parents' words whenever I make the smallest mistake, want to stop having nightmares, want to stop breaking into sobs or rants at the slightest provocation. I want to be _normal_."

Kurt laughs quietly, and Blaine looks at him, confused. What did he say that was so funny? Kurt smiles at him. "Since when has _Blaine Anderson_ 's life been normal?" He asks, "And since when has he _wanted_ it to be?" Kurt gently wipes the tears out from under Blaine's eyes with a soft smile. "Blaine Anderson, you are a spectacular, amazing human being and you do _not_ need to change. You are recovering from a massively traumatizing experience and you need time to sort through your emotions. If that means ruining a few shirts with the salt of your tears and ranting at Sebastian the Meerkat, then I'm willing to make that sacrifice," he jokes, then grows serious. "I'm willing to do _anything_ to help you feel better again, and I'll be there whenever and wherever you need it. I promise."

Blaine leans back with a smile, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "Thank you," he whispers.

"No need," Kurt says with a grin, "I'm just repaying the favor, nearly a year too late." Then he leans in, gives Blaine a peck on the cheek, and then jumps up, breaking the moment. "I'm heading down to dinner. You can join me if you want!" He gives a teasing wave and heads out before Blaine can blink.

"Hey!" Blaine shouts, gaping, "That wasn't fair!" before he follows Kurt down the stairs with a smile.

He's going to be alright. It may take a while, but he'll get there someday.

**Author's Note:**

> Please give kudos and leave comments. Constructive criticism is always appreciated!


End file.
